


Decimus

by River_Keeps_The_Stories



Series: Snowflakes [2]
Category: Frozen (Disney Movies), Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Ancient Rome, Courage, Eventual Happy Ending, Execution, Fear, Gen, Military, Non-Graphic Violence, Temporary Character Death, Treachery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:14:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26331724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/River_Keeps_The_Stories/pseuds/River_Keeps_The_Stories
Summary: Centuries ago, the influence of Pitch Black begins to make itself felt in the world. A young Roman soldier speaks with the voice of fear, and faces the deadly consequences. Eventual crossover with Frozen. Part 2 of my open-ended Jelsa series 'Snowflakes.'
Series: Snowflakes [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1795432





	Decimus

_Please read my profile before reading any of my stories. Thank you.  
_ _-River_

"It's crazy! We can't fight them!"

The young Roman foot soldier stood facing his centurion, fear and anger warring inside him. "Sir, there are only fifty of us left. The enemy has six times that many. If we go into battle, we will die."

His commander looked him up and down, contempt in his stern visage.

"Your words are treason, Decimus."

"My words are _sense!"_ Decimus exploded. "Look at us. We can barely walk. We're exhausted. Many of us are wounded. How can we possibly fight?"

He watched his commander's face, and his heart sank. Grim, cold eyes stared at him from beneath frowning brows. The lines of his centurion's face tightened in disapproval.

Decimus felt sick, both in fear of the coming battle and with frustration at not being listened to. An icy cold trickle crept up his spine and into his neck.

Instead of giving up, Decimus felt strengthened by his fear. Tightly gripping his heavy spear, he turned and ran to a nearby hill of grassy turf. Leaping up it, he stood on top and raised his spear into the air.

"This battle is hopeless!" he shouted, striving for the attention of his fellow soldiers. "We should wait for reinforcements! What is the point in dying?"

At first, his companions turned to look at him. But when they heard what he was saying, all but a few turned away. They shook their heads in disgust, or stared pointedly at the ground, or went about their tasks, pretending not to hear him at all.

"No!" Decimus screamed in frustration. " _Listen to me!_ What's wrong with you? Don't any of you have the sense _to be afraid?"_ Darkness crept into his mind as he was completely ignored. Rage made his eyes feel as if they were burning from within. His voice raised to a fever pitch.

"Won't anyone _listen_ to me?"

His ragged shriek trailed off, horrified and strangely numb. Decimus stood, breathing hard, and felt a shadow creep over him from behind. He turned and saw his centurion standing there, alone at the top of the hill with him.

"Fear is the enemy," his commander said quietly. "You speak with the voice of fear. That makes you an enemy of Rome."

"No," Decimus whispered, stunned. "I only want --"

The centurion raised his voice. "This traitor must die!"

A panic of a different kind seized Decimus with icy claws. He looked into his commander's eyes and saw no pity there, only judgment. Before he could move, the centurion's sword flashed out and stabbed him through the heart. As he fell, Decimus whispered his last few words, unheard.

"I only wanted us to live."

-

Blood.  
_That's the first thing I remember._  
I was lying on a hill, and there was blood on my chest.  
But when I felt the skin underneath, I wasn't hurt.  
  
Then I saw the moon.  
The sun was in my eyes, blinding me. But when it went behind a cloud, I saw the moon in the daytime sky.  
It was faint blue, and for a moment, I thought it was beautiful.  
Then the sun came out again, and I couldn't see the moon anymore.  
I felt even more alone.

_Why I was there, and what I was meant to do, that I've never known._  
I've had to figure that part out for myself.  
Sometimes I wonder if I will ever get it right.

My name is Pitch Black.

_How do I know that?_  
_The moon told me so._  
_But that was all he ever told me._

_And that was a long, long time ago._

**Author's Note:**

> Italicized lines in the last scene are directly quoted from the 'Rise of the Guardians' movie. Decimus was a common personal name in ancient Rome. It means 'tenth,' and may have been given to a tenth son, tenth child, or to a child born in the tenth month, December, of the Roman calendar. I think Pitch is a child of winter, so in this case, I go with that last interpretation. Thanks for reading.


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